Recoil apparatus of ordnance



A. T. DAWSON AND G. T. BUCKHAM.

I RECOIL APPARATUS 0F ORDNANCE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 9.1919.

ZEN/J91 fly K Patented Oct. 31, 1922.

Patented Oct. 31, 1922.

atest UNETEE STATES PATENT; FF E. 4

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON AND GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM, OF WESTMINSTER, LONDQN, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO VICKERS LIMITED, OF. WESTMINSTER, ENG-- LAND.

BECOID AIPARATUS OF ORDNANCE.

Application filed July 9, 1919, Serial No. 309,784.

To all who mz't may concern:

Be it known that we, Sir ARTHUR TRnvoR Dawson, knight, and Sir GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM, knight, both subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at. Vickers House, Broadway, Vestmmster, 1n the county of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 1n or Relating to the Recoil Apparatus of Ordnance, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ordnance recoil apparatus particularly to that type 1n which the recoil or brake cylinder is connected to the gun so as to move therewith during recoil and run-out and the rod of the recoil piston is connected to the gun cradle so that it remains stationary during the recoil and run-out movements of the gun.

According to the present invention the recoil piston has a retarding ram which, during the final portion of the runout movement of the gun, displaces liquid from a chamber formed, for example, in a plug attached to the recoil cylinder and an ad ustable valve is employed for varying, as required, the rate of flow of the liquid so d1splaced. For the purpose of the 1nvent1on the said plug may be formed with a hole which opens at one end in the chamber of the plug andat the other end at a part of the plug in contact with the liquid in the rear end of the recoil cylinder and the adjustable valve is preferably of the screwdown type and is arranged in a portion of this hole.

The said valve is disposed longitudinally within the plug and in order that it may be readily displaced and ad usted within fine limits it is connected to a worm wheel with which meshes a worm carried by a transversely disposed spindle.

The portion of the gun cradle contiguous to this spindle may be formed with a slot by which access can be gained to the said spindle for adjusting the valve.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect we will describe the same with referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a sectional plan of the rear portion of recoil apparatus constructed in accordance with our invention.

Figure 2 is a section taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, and

.Figure 3 is a side elevation viewed from the right, of the rear part of a gun with its cradle ,anda portion of the carriage in order to show the aforesaid slot in the cradle. v

A is the gun and A. is the cradle on which it slides during recoil andrun-out. B is a forging formed with three longitudinal cavities B, B B constituting respectively the recoil cylinder, the recuperator cylinder and the air reservoir and connected at its rear end to a lug A", Figure 1, on the gun so I her I) in which the retarding ram is disposed when the gun is in its run-out position, this being the condition of the. parts shewn in the drawing. The said retarding ram is formed with a tapered flat surface B as shewn in Figure 2 and as is well understood. The plug If is formed with a hole 6 which opens at one end into the chamber I) and at the other end opens into an annular cavity 6 in communication with the liquid in the rear end of the recoil cylinder. C is the aforesaid adjustable valve arranged in a portion of the hole Zr", this valve being of the screw-down type disposed longitudinally within the plug. It will be observed that the tapered surface B on the retarding ram terminates some distance from the rear face of the piston b so that during the last few inches of the run-out movement the liquid displaced from the chamber b can flow to the cylinder only past the valve C. The stem '0 of this valve has a squared end fitting within a square hole ina sleeve C the square hole of which also receives the squared spindle c of a worm wheel C with which meshes a worm C on a transversely a at the end ofthe spindle oranermnvei the slot at but lies Within having a squared end fitting in a square hole in the said spindle. The said slot 0, is of sufficient length to permit the spindle c to be operated even if the gun does not'fully return to its run-out position after firing.

It will beobserved that in the construction sheWn the said spindle projects to the right of the axis of the recoil cylinderandthe slot LettersPaten't of the United States is "1. In ordnancerecoil apparatus, the combination With the recoil cylinder and the recoiljp'iston, of "a chamber supplied With liquid, a retarding ram which enters said chamber "during the fi'na'l portion'ofthe run-out movement *of the gun to displace I liquid from said chamber, a yalvewhich by its adjustment and Without necessitating, its removal "varies as required the rate of flow of :the liquid so displaced, and Worm gearing' for adjusting said valve, the worm of the Wormfgearing having its spindle "extending substantially eipendicular '-to the axis of the recoil 0y inder, whereby the Worm gearing may he operated and *the valve adjusted by a member standing at the I i I side of the gunout of the pathof recoil.

r "2. In ordnance recoil apparatus, the combination With the recoil cylinder, the recoil piston and the gun cradle, of a chamber supplied With liquid,'a retarding ram Whichenters-said chamber during the final portion of the run-out'movement of the ;gun to displace liquid from said chamber, a valve capable of adjustment for varying as required the rate-of flow'of the liquid so displaced,

Worm gearing comprising a Worm arranged transversely of 'the recoil cylinder, for adjusting said valveand a slot in'the gun cra dl'e exposing said Worm for purposes of 'adjustment.

3'. In ordnance recoil apparatus, thecombination with'the recoil cylinder and therecoil piston, of a chamber supplied with liqulid,a retarding ram whichenters said chamber duringthefinal *portion of therun out movementof the'gun to displace liquid from said chamber, a valve which by its adjust-v merit and Without necessitatin its removal varies as "requlred the rate oi flow ofx'the liquid so displaced, Worm gearing for ad ju'sting said valve, the Worm of the worm gearing having "its "spindle extending substantiadly perpendicular to the axis of the recoil cylinder, whereby the :worm gearing may be operated and the valve adjusted by a member standing at the side of the gun out*oifthe path of recoil, and'a plug attached to the recoil "cylinder, this plug being formed With said chamber and cai'ryingsaid valve and said worm gearing.-

In testimony whereof Weaflix our signatures.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON. GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM. 

